The installation of a full home security system requires a contractor to be a licensed electrician. There are a number of issues that can be caused by poor wiring technique. The potential danger caused by mistakes in this line of work is the primary reason that electricians are so highly regulated. You should only work with a contractor who is fully licensed. Your local building inspector should be able to walk you through the licenses your contractor should have.

Try hiring a contractor with connections in the security monitoring industry. The installation contractor will be able to install the system for you, but he or she won't be able to monitor it for you. You'll have to go through a separate monitoring company for this. A lot of these companies pair up with local contractors as a way to increase subscription to monitoring services. You should see if your contractor can help you out in this way.

Always get an estimate for any work before it starts. Most security system contractors are able to provide customers with general estimates for work. Some security system installations can present unique challenges to installers. You should be willing to let the estimate fluctuate to account for these issues.